Foot Lake, Ontario: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Foot Lake stands in Algoma, Ontario. Elevation runs to 442 metres. The water covers some 37 hectares, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The whole outline is near 4.4 km, and most of it is walkable. It is high ground by Ontario standards. The town to know is Chapleau, 56 km out. Further out sit Wawa (64 km) and Sault Ste. Marie (126 km). There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Foot Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Algoma include walleye, northern pike, Iowa darter, yellow perch and white sucker. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Foot Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 16°C in July and bottoms out near -15°C in January. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. On average, late April opens the water and mid November closes it again. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. On Foot Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. No made access is recorded, so a short walk in is the likely arrangement. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, White Birch Lake is 1.8 km distant. Confirm before you fish Foot Lake.